I’m Ready To Join Any Force To Oust Tinubu’s Govt – Lamido

Former Jigawa State Governor and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Sule Lamido, has declared his readiness to align with any political movement to remove President Bola Tinubu’s government, which he described as divisive and incompetent.

In an interview on Arise TV on Saturday, Lamido said, “I am part of any arrangement, no matter the nomenclature or name, to remove the current government of incompetency, of insecurity, or of dividing the Nigerian family between North and South.

“I will be part of any arrangement, any chemistry, any configuration, whatever you may call it, if it’s going to remove this government that is on autopilot,” he added.

When asked if he was part of the newly-formed Alliance for Democratic Action (ADA), he avoided a direct response but said, “What you see, don’t panic. I don’t panic. I walk with my eyes wide open.”

He accused the Tinubu administration of weaponising ethnicity and using state power to suppress opposition.

“Today in Nigeria, we have a government that is dividing Nigerians along North and South, using institutions of the state to manipulate and coerce the opposition,” Lamido said.

He also criticised Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, for allegedly turning his back on the PDP after benefitting from its platform.

“I saw a programme featuring the Governor of Akwa Ibom recently, and I just pitied him. Two years ago, nobody knew him. He was honoured and dignified by the PDP and made a governor. Now he’s renouncing his own history and legacy. It’s a pity,” Lamido said.

Reacting to Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech, Lamido accused the President of falsifying his role in the pro-democracy struggle.

“I find Tinubu’s rhetoric highly entertaining—the way he dramatises his role in Nigeria’s democracy. Luckily, we are all alive. We were all there,” he said.

“Tinubu only became relevant after Abacha took over. Before then, he was just a party secretary. With all due respect, he was part of those who supported Babangida and opposed June 12. His mother organised the Lagos market women to support Babangida.”

He stated that those who truly fought for democracy stayed in Nigeria and paid the price.

“Tinubu and others fled the country. We stayed and fought Abacha. I was detained. The real fighters were those who stayed. NADECO came after the fight. They inherited the product but were not part of the process.

“Those advocating June 12 today were more concerned with the bathwater than the baby. There is a distinction between the victory and the victor,” Lamido stated.

He also faulted the use of national assets for partisan events, saying, “Today’s government is not a Nigerian government, it is a party government. How do you explain holding an APC function at the Villa, a national asset? It shows how low we have sunk.”

Responding to comparisons between his actions in 2014 and recent defections, Lamido said the situations were different.

“Maybe I’m too old, but go check the history. The PDP crisis in 2014 was internal. We fought for internal democracy. We did not betray the party to join the APC with its legacy.

“In 1983, I left PRP to join NPP and ran for office. I resigned from the PRP. There was character and principle. In 2014, I told governors: if you want to leave PDP, resign. Don’t take PDP’s legacy with you.”

He described today’s political class as lacking “depth, character, and honour,” saying, “People like Governor Eno were unknown. Now they ride on the office. Remove the office, and they are nobody.”

On the PDP’s state, Lamido insisted the party remains alive.

“PDP is not dead. If PDP is dead, then APC is dead. Most of APC’s leadership are PDP products. Only Oshiomhole and Tinubu are the real APC. The rest are PDP. So, if we are dead, then APC is a ghost party,” he said.

On supporting Atiku Abubakar in 2023 despite southern agitations, he dismissed regional sentiments.

“Please don’t bring North vs. South into my politics. I believe in Nigeria. I supported PDP, not Atiku, as a Northerner. In 1983, I supported Azikiwe. Go check my history,” Lamido said.